The Maroon Sept. 15, 2023 Issue

Twomey: Social Justice Warrior

New biography unveils Loyola Icon Fr. Louis J. Twomey's long-time correspondence with Martin Luther King, Jr.

By Mark Michel and Kloe Witt mamichel@my.loyno.edu kgwitt@my.loyno.edu

While researching a pillar of Loyola’s social justice past, a writer stumbled on a previously unknown connection between Father Louis J. Twomey and Martin Luther King, Jr. While that is a breathtaking nd, it is just the tip of the social justice work this Jesuit priest dedicated his life to.

Writer Dawn Eden spent over a month researching Twomey’s life and work in social justice for her new biography on the Jesuit priest who called Loyola home for over a decade. In doing so, she uncovered previously unreported letters and correspondence between Twomey and King spanning more than a decade.

Eden combed through Loyola’s Special Collections – an archive in Monroe library – nding records of Twomey’s work, with special focus on his commitment to combating racism in the South during the mid-20th century, which was considered a highly controversial and dangerous line of work at the time.

Faith and Social Justice

Eden was drawn to researching Twomey since she noticed he broke certain stereotypes commonly attributed to devout Catholic priests at the time, speci cally the ideals that one could not be devout to their faith and work for equality.

“ ere are many people that think that if you’re good, holy, orthodox, and faithful, then you’re not one of those peace and love social justice people,” Eden said.

According to Eden, it was this combination of faith and social justice work which he lived by.

Eden said Twomey believed faith should be the ultimate motivation in people's lives, especially in regards to social issues including ghting racism and classism.

“He believed that faith should be in everything that we do,” she said.

“He [used] all the power of his voice and rhetoric to tell people if you didn’t hear about [racial and social

issues] in the church growing up, then the church was wrong not to tell you about this.”

Although he wouldn’t place blame on the church, Eden said Twomey did criticize those who didn’t teach of these issues.

“He would criticize those people who were cast with conveying that teaching and who failed to convey it,” Eden said. ese teachings and this work were something Eden notes Twomey always felt compelled towards.

“His rst love –and always his love in terms of evangelism – was evangelizing what does the church teach about working people, what does the church teach about the poor,” Eden said.

Eden spoke to the Rev. James Carter S.J., the longest serving president in Loyola’s history, about how Twomey di ered from other Jesuit priests in the community who worked in social reform, speci cally the

Rev. Joseph H. Fichter, S.J. Fitcher focused on social justice theory while Twomey worked in social justice practice.

Carter explained this by saying you would expect to see Twomey in a poor African-American neighborhood, unlike those who would only speak out and study social issues.

Twomey proved this commitment through his action against white supremacist organizations during this time, speci cally the thensegregated Knights of Columbus in the 1950s. He would preach to them over the ideals of social justice and why they

should shift their ideals.

Eden noted these actions were rooted in his criticism that the United States couldn’t preach equality if they continued to segregate and mistreat minorities and the lower class.

“He’s saying that the whole world is going to think that we’re hypocrites if we keep saying we stand for equality and justice when we’re not practicing it at home,” Eden said.

Service to Loyola

Twomey joined the Loyola community in 1947 with the idea of starting a labor school, which he successfully accomplished and named e Institute of Industrial Relations.

Since this time, the labor school has closed, although close relations still exist in the Jesuit Social Research Institute, according to Eden.

After about a year at Loyola, Twomey created “Blueprint for Christian Reshaping of Society,” a newsletter Eden said was to teach “how we can be better” as Jesuits.

Twomey wrote that this newsletter was intended “to create a society in which the dignity of the human person, in whomsoever found, shall be acknowledged, respected, and protected.”

See TWOMEY, page 3

100 Years of

Lines for JSRI and a Jesuit-Educated Man, from a Prison In rmary

By Craig, Loyola student at Rayburn Correctional center

ey say one day

Someone will ask of you -Did you visit them while sick? Did you go to them in prison?

Did you help them eat did you give them drink when their hearts were famished and their souls withered for thirst?

Did you share with them clothes to wear in the heat and cold? Did you take them into your home when they were sick and estranged?

Let me tell you what to say:

You visited me in my heart and mind and you took me in to a place where chains become choices and rainfall brings rainbows

You fed me with truth and took me to the well of wisdom where I drank and learned to have faith in faith

You came to me and clothed me with kindness and virtue Raiment against the neverending day and never-coming tomorrow

Let me tell you what I'll say:

With my heroes I've always said, "I want to be like you," but with you I say, "I want to be like us."

Archived photograph of Louis J. Twomey from The Wolf Yearbook, 1965. Colorized by Sophia Maxim/The Maroon

PUZZLES

Across

1. Queen of barbs Nicki

6. Sentence compound

9. It hurts

13. Ohno on skates

14. Confederate general Robert E.

15. CIA human experiment MK-

16. Approach stealthily

17. Fleetwood Mac song “Go Your ___ Way”

18. Urban’s opposite 19. Swedish chemist that discovered oxygen 21. Enduring energy 23. 12-mo. Periods

24. Head of faculty

25. Sushi sh

28. Small purchases made in someone’s yard

30. Upcoming movie “Five _____ at Freddy’s” releasing on October 27th 35. Letter shaped fastener 37. Further education system in Australia

39. Another word for passage or gallery 40. Blood pigment 41. Bombards of junk email 43. Stylish vigor 44. Correct errors

Air forcing device 47. Brand of kitchen goods 48. Indian yellow fruit 50. Hideout for villains 52. Ending for law 53. End of a song title when two artists collaborate

2. International Press Telecommunications Council abbr.

3. Actor Schnapp of Stranger ings

4. Space between buildings

32. Of great size 33. Easy way to draw 34. Madrid mister 36. Yellow monopoly bills 38. Actress ____ Stone that stayed at Loyola last year

Down

1. Church

Crossword by Max Schweikarth Kira Phillips, and Taylor Falgout

The "Honest" tour comes to Loyola

By Maleigh Crespo macrespo@loyno.edu

On the tour for their album “Honest,” The Vigil Project, whose mission is to make music for the Catholic journey, stopped at Loyola for a performance in the resident quad.

“Honest” was created with the intention of making music about encountering Jesus in the midst of chaos, according to the group’s event manager, Andrew Ferguson.

“Oftentimes there's so many things that can serve as distractions or things that take away from our ability to encounter Jesus,” he said. “And the goal was to share that truth and the heart of the album with college students.”

Senior Melissa Moore, who primarily plays violin, was the group’s opener.

“It's really cool that we’re promoting a community that can be built around creativity, especially when it's infused with faith, hope, and the Jesuit values,” she said. “We're just really encouraging

joy among the students.”

Ferguson said one of The Vigil Project’s goals is to rediscover the gift of music and what our Lord is calling us to within that gift. Senior Bevin Kelley said she felt something enter her soul at the performance.

“All live music is really good, but this was like an out-of-body experience,” she said. “This was way different from sitting in Mass or sitting in adoration.”

Ferguson said he hopes the concert was a small reminder for students that

BRIEFS

in the very small moments of their days where they feel love from a friend, experience joy in a hobby, or are moved by a piece of art that they recognize that it's an encounter with the Lord and a reminder to return to Him.

“Even if you're not Catholic or you're not Christian, listening to different bands that you don't normally listen to can get you in touch with a side of yourself that you may not be used to,” Kelley said. “And maybe the Lord can reach you or maybe you just find some new tunes.”

The Connie Jones Traditional Jazz Concert

Head over to Nunemaker Hall Sept. 19 at 7:30 p.m. The band are all celebrated Jazz musicians who played alongside Jones in his career.

Tickets can be purchased at cmm.loyno.edu/presents.

Connie Jones and his wife, Elaine, gifted our jazz program an andowment upon his passing to hots a traditional jazz concert series every fall and spring.

This generous gift also funded renovations to our band room and remodeling of our 2nd floor hallway, which will benefit our students for years to come.

Beignet Fest returns with jam-packed menu

The Gulf South’s most family-friendly and inclusive festival, returns Saturday, Sept. 23 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at City Park’s Festival Grounds with a mouthwatering menu featuring new items and old favorites. Some early standouts include Sweet Legacy’s Bourbon Brisket Beignets, The Vintage NOLA’s Pear & Brie Beignets and non-beignet options like Chubbie’s Fried Chicken and Diva Dawg’s Crabmeat Grill Cheesy.

“This year we’re showcasing a menu that promises one-of-a-kind beignets from vendors across south Louisiana and neighboring states like Texas and Alabama,” says Beignet Fest Foundation executive director Sherwood Collins. “We feel a renewed energy and momentum with more food options than ever before.”

Hispanic Heritage Festival at FQ

The 2nd annual Hispanic Heritage Month celebration held at the French Market on Saturday, Sept. 16 where you can enjoy live music curated by Ecos Latinos, as well as Hispanic and Latino food booths, and community organizations.

The festival goes from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. where you can recognize and celebrate the history, culture, and contribution that the Hispanic and Latino community have shown throughout the years.

Opening performance of Spring Storm

By Brice Gutter bjgutter@loyno.edu

“Spring Storm,” a Tennesse Williams origin story, made its 2023 opening performance in Loyola’s Lower Depths Theatre on Friday, Sept. 8 to a soldout audience. Directed by Salvatore Mannino, the play was performed by The Tennessee Williams Theatre Company of New Orleans (TWTC).

TWTC specializes in plays written by the famous 20th-century dramatist, Tennessee Williams. The theater’s goal is to bring attention to the writer’s lesserknown works. His plays are usually of the southern gothic genre, and “Spring Storm” is no exception.

Set in the Mississippi Delta town of

Port Tyler in the 1930s, “Spring Storm” tells the tale of two women’s battle for love and societal acceptance amidst their gossiping families and neighbors.

Heavenly Critchfield (played by Nicole Miller, a Loyola alum) is a southern belle feuding with her lust for the social pariah Dick Miles (played by Matthew Raetz). Hertha Nielsen (played by Charlie Carr) is an outcast librarian struggling with her love for the refined Arthur Shannon (played by Matthew Boese).

These character’s stories and feelings intertwine in various ways throughout the performance. This ultimately leads to an angst-filled, emotional conclusion, according to Williams.

“Spring Storm” has a no-intermission,

with a 100-minute runtime, which didn’t seem to be a problem, as opening night ended with a standing ovation from the audience.

Audience member Beth Duke described the play as “well-produced” and expressed her love for the theater.

With a cast and crew of over 20 people, TWTC used “Spring Storm” to deliver their last production of the season. However, the theater company is set to make its return in spring of 2024 for its 8th season.

“Spring Storm” is showing in the Lower Depths Theatre from Sept. 8 to 23, and tickets for the company’s 8th season go on sale starting Oct. 1.

Opening performance of a Tennessee Williams origin story 'Spring Storm'. Loyola alum Nicole Miller played Heavenly Critchfield. Courtesy of Brittney Werner.

The Vigil Project lead singer, Andrew sings and waves his hand in the air during the concert in Loyola’s residential quad on Friday, Sept. 8. This was the group’s final stop on the tour for their album, “Honest.”. Anna Hummel/The Maroon

Senior Melissa Moore performs as the opener for The Vigil Project in Loyola’s residential quad on Friday, Sept. 8. Moore’s primary instrument is violin. Anna Hummel/The Maroon

Loyola students dance and sing to a song The Vigil Project is performing in Loyola’s residential quad on Friday, Sept. 8. The Canizaro Center for Catholic Studies, Tulane Catholic and BCM Christian Community at Tulane and Loyola partnered together to host the event. Anna Hummel/The Maroon

"The Little Mermaid"

Black princesses deserve better

By Maleigh Crespo macrespo@my.loyno.edu

is summer, my TikTok “For You” page was lled with little Black girls watching “ e Little Mermaid” trailer in awe or dressing up in mermaid-inspired out ts to see the movie in theaters.

It was impactful and healing to see the next generation of Black girls experience the representation that I never had as a kid. When Halle Bailey of the Radio Disney duo Chloe x Halle, was cast in 2019 –pre pandemic – I saw comment sections brimming with hate and hashtags that read #notmyAriel.

When the lm was released in May, I worried the response would be the same, so I stayed away from the internet and didn’t plan to see it in theaters, but I marked my calendar for the movie’s September 6 release on Disney+. To my dismay, the movie was not at all what I was hoping for – it was worse. A lot worse.

We nally got a Black Disney princess who wasn’t a frog for half of the movie. Except, this time, she got her voice stolen and didn’t speak for most of the movie.

When will Black women get to play characters that don’t come with side effects or stipulations?

While this detail is true to the original lm, as a remake, the lm creators could have made more deliberate edits to the live-action version. ey may have fought to have a Black Ariel, but they didn’t put in that same e ort to e ectively tell her story or show her personality.

"GUTS": It's a mesmerizing, paralyzing joy ride

By Dajah Saul drsaul@loyno.edu

Olivia Rodrigo knocks the pop punk genre on its head with the highly anticipated release of her sophomore album, “GUTS”.

Previously known for her acting work on Disney’s “High School Musical: e Musical: e Series,” 20-yearold Rodrigo most likely felt the pressure to transition out of acting into the critical world of music with her 2021 debut album “SOUR.”

Whether or not you listened to “SOUR,” you have de nitely heard of the album itself and the artist behind the work.

With “SOUR” dominating the music charts at its height., Rodrigo had a heavy weight on her shoulders to deliver yet another highly acclaimed album.

A satisfying mix of grunge and pop punk, “GUTS” captures the irritating sensation of being in your early twenties while having fun between the sad moments.

If “SOUR” was a look into a blossoming teenager’s view of society, “GUTS” is the transitory period between ages 19 and 20 that every teenager dreads yet cannot wait for.

Many artists release new music every year, with singles to supplement their absence in between album periods. Rodrigo, however, waited an entire two years after “SOUR” to introduce “GUTS” to the world, with no singles in between (outside of a song written for season 3 of “High School Musical: e Musical: e Series”).

e rst single of Rodrigo’s album, “vampire,” came as a surprise. Released around the 13th anniversary of “Twilight: Eclipse,” Rodrigo’s “vampire” speaks on her draining relationship with an older man.

Dealing with elements of toxicity, older relationships, and the need to grow up, Rodrigo’s “GUTS” seemingly delivers on everything that she expected from herself for a sophomore album to share with the world.

e sophomore album’s rst song “all-american b*tch” captures every essence of Rodrigo’s newest musical era.

As the “perfect all-american b*tch,” Rodrigo describes the hardships of exiting one’s teenage years while trying to be perfect for their twenties.

e album draws on concepts of less than ideal exes, toxic relationships, and the pains of early adulthood.

Rodrigo’s second single, “bad idea right?” illustrates seeing an old ame

as a bad idea, and there is an assumption to be made about how many people can sadly relate.

e rest of the album shifts between sounds of early 2000’s pop rock and soothing, slow vocals for a diverse collection of songs within Rodrigo’s “GUTS.” e album feels like a gift transported from the 90’s and 2000’s towards the newest of generations, while also highlighting sounds that any age group could pick up on.

If there is any moment within “GUTS” to show Rodrigo’s maturity and transition into adulthood, the last track “teenage dream” encapsulates it all. Most people dream of being a teenager, and for Rodrigo, she’s scared to leave those years behind. Rodrigo narrates moments of drunken mishaps, tiring relationships, and fears of growing up too fast in between melodic transitions for all to enjoy.

Olivia Rodrigo does well with sharing her humor and personality through her gut-wrenching lyrics and well-planned melodies that people within various age groups can relate to in some form.

My opinion of Rodrigo’s “GUTS” is only one of many, but I would say that the album itself is an impressive piece of work for a second album, especially

Ariel is the main character in the story, and we see that in the original lm, but in the 2023 lm, Ariel fades into the background.

Although fans criticized the live-action “Mulan” in 2020 for straying from its predecessor, “ e Little Mermaid” stayed true to its roots, but somehow still lacked the charm and nostalgia that older generations were hoping for.

e few updates that were made occurred in the added songs, written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, which felt outof-touch with the rest of the lm. Manuel-Miranda is arguably one the best lyricists in his genre, but not every lm soundtrack needs to sound like “Hamilton” or “Encanto.”

Not only were the modern updates un tting, but two of the lm’s biggest aws were casting and animation.

While the lm was lackluster, Bailey’s performance was its saving grace. e other characters, however, were forgettable. Prince Eric was portrayed by Jonah Hauer-King, but his character could’ve been played by anyone, and it wouldn’t have made a di erence. e same goes for Sebastian and Flounder.

eir characters in the lm were awkward and too realistically animated. Fans were upset when Mushu didn’t make an appearance in the live-action “Mulan,” but if he would’ve looked like the sea creatures in “ e Little Mermaid,” I wouldn’t want him in the lm anyway. With today’s technology, they could’ve made the characters more visu-

ally appealing. Although people debated whether 2019’s “ e Lion King” was live-action or animated, the animals in the lm weren’t unsettling to look at, and that should’ve been a priority in “ e Little Mermaid.”

e voice actors who played Sebastian and Flounder weren’t standouts either, and voice actors are just as important as on-screen actors. I mean, everyone knows Eddie Murphy’s voice from his lovable characters, like Mushu or Donkey from “Shrek,” without ever having seen his face.

Lastly, while I love Melissa McCarthy in every movie she’s ever been in, I don’t think Ursula was her calling. McCarthy felt too reserved to play Ursula. Not to mention, McCarthy isn’t a singer, and I feel sorry for the poor, unfortunate soul who cast her in the lm. e lm, as a whole, was disappointing, but if I were a 7-year-old seeing Halle Bailey jumping out of the water, ipping her locs, I’d believe it was the greatest movie ever made. But as a 20-year-old, I want more. Black girls at every age deserve more. We deserve representation, we deserve voices, and we deserve to be part of your world.

“ e Little Mermaid” is now available on Disney+.

Rating: 5/10

following the continuous success of “SOUR.”

Even if Olivia Rodrigo’s music is not your cup of tea, it’s de nitely not a bad idea to give the album a listen, right?

“GUTS” is now available on Apple Music and Spotify.

Rating: 10/10

Courtesy of IMDb

Courtesy of Wikipedia

FERPA and Privacy Guidelines

University Registrar and School Certifying O cial for Veterans, Kathy Gros sent an email informing students of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, as well as the university’s Privacy Guidelines.

FERPA protects a student's educational records, and as a child turns 18, all rights under FERPA are transferred from the parent to the child.

Under this act, student’s hold the right to inspect/review their educational records, seek to amend them, and more.

“Maintaining con dentiality of student records is everyone's responsibility whether you are faculty, sta or student,” Gros wrote in the email.

Applications open for online software engineering bootcamp

Loyola is o ering a fully online, nine month long software engineering bootcamp for those looking for career training and opportunities.

e software engineering bootcamp prepares students for their rst engineering job post-graduation with portfolio-grade coding projects and exercises that mirror the tasks of high-income software engineers.

With four mentors, students will have constant access to group or one-on-one support.

No prior programming experience is required, however those with basic skills in HTML, Cascading Style Sheets, and Java Script can test into an accelerated version of the course.

Applications are due by Oct. 2 and the program begins the following week on Oct. 9. Loyola o ers exible payment options including scholarships, discounts, and payment plans. Applications can be found on the Loyno bootcamps website.

Room change applications open now

Residential Life has opened applications for room changes for the 2023-24 academic year.

Residents may request a switch for various reasons, including roommate concerns, nancial issues, or being unsatis ed with the room.

Room change will cause a $100 processing fee to be added to student bills. Students also will pay the di erence for a new room, if the new selected room is at a higher price than the previous.

Residents can only submit changes to dorms available for their classi cations. For example, juniors will not be approved to live in Beiver and freshman will not be approved to live in Cabra.

Applications can be submitted through the Housing Directory until Nov. 17. Applications are monitored weekly, according to Chris Rice, Director of Residential Life.

TWOMEY: mixing social justice and faith

Continued from page 1

In one issue of these newsletters, published on Jan. 15, 1949, Twomey wrote of the approach of combining the progressive ideas of the emerging civil rights era with the basic tenets of Christ’s teachings.

” e extent to which we, in operation with other soundly progressive agencies, are able to impregnate these economic and social changes with the principles of Christ will be the measure of the Christian character of the new South,” Twomey wrote.

In his continued crusade against racial discrimination, Twomey began teaching racially integrated classes in 1950, before segregation was outlawed by the Supreme Court.

Eden credits this initiative to Twomey’s strong conviction that what de nes people was their character and their virtues.

“[Twomey] cares only about our virtues in Christ, justice and peace, and charity. And imagine this powerful person on your team- [he] has your back,”

Correspondence with Martin Luther King, Jr.

Eden discovered 10 years of Twomey’s letters and correspondence that she claims to have been stolen from Loyola’s archives by a faculty member who served during Twomey’s tenure at the university.

Although he refused to return the original letters, the former faculty member provided typed copies to the archives, which Eden used to further her research.

ese documents included letters

and correspondence between Twomey and other social justice leaders, most notably the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr..

According to Eden, Twomey and King had been in contact since April of 1954, before King received his doctorate.

“Father Twomey met him very early and really became, certainly his rst Catholic ally and I’ll say, very likely his rst white ally in the eld of race relation,” Eden said.

Twomey would continue to send letters that would help King gain support within the Catholic community.

Many years later, King would continue to refer to his friend Twomey in letters to other Loyola community members, including the previously mentioned faculty member who had possession of the original correspondences. King would check in with Twomey’s acquaintances to hear how he was and wish him well, which Eden noted proved a great friendship.

“ ere’s clearly a great love, intimacy, friendship between these two,” Eden said.

His Legacy Twomey’s impact continues to shine bright in the Loyola community. For instance, the Twomey Legacy Scholar in Residence award, issued by JSRI, invites one retired scholar back to the program for a year to write and re ect on their achievements.

e Louis J. Twomey Lounge, the center of operations of the Catholic Studies department, is named in his honor.

And the New Orleans City Street Re-

JSRI's Commitment: Advancing Justice Reform

By Eloise Pickering ewpicker@my.loyno.edu

Within the last year, the Jesuit Social Research Institute has shifted its e orts from a social research institute to criminal legal system reform in the hopes to end racial inequities in the criminal justice system, primarily through the Rayburn program, an educational program at Rayburn Correctional Center.

e JSRI is a collaborative institution between Loyola and the Society of Jesus. e program was founded in 2007 as a response to Katrina as a social research institute. en, JSRI was focused around publications and research reports primarily regarding immigration and racial inequities, but now is dedicated to transforming Louisiana and the surrounding states through research, education, advocacy and service on social issues.

naming Commission recommended renaming Calhoun street after Twomey.

Eden said that Twomey’s courageous devotion to an equitable society inspired her to write this biography.

“It’s that kind of courage that makes me feel that the world needs to hear about Father Twomey and about his witness,” Eden said.

In the publication “ e Catholic World,” in the December 1938 issue, Twomey a rmed the basis of his Christian and moral philosophy.

”Of the gigantic social problems which demand solutions in the world today, there is none more critical than that existing in the lower reaches of society,” Twomey wrote.

“We have 40 incarcerated students that are in two di erent cohorts, and 15 correctional employee students, and they're working towards a bachelor of Applied Science,” Kelsey McLaughlin, the operations coordinator for JSRI. Rayburn students are able to participate in a single four credit course per semester. To achieve this, Loyola professors travel to the Rayburn Correctional Center to teach in person.

In early August, Loyola’s president Dr. Cole visited Loyola’s Rayburn students.

“[Cole] shared that he hopes that one day our students will be free and join us on campus to continue their educational journey,” JSRI’s Executive Director Annie Phoenix wrote in a newsletter following the visit.

See JSRI page 9

Loyola priest advocates for students mental health

By Pharrell Every pjevery@my.loyno.edu

Pastor James C. Simmons Jr. came to Loyola University New Orleans with a one goal in mind: to be an advocate for the mental health of the student body. He was asked to join the Loyola community in 2018 by Student Life and Ministry because they were looking for an African-American pastor who could cater to the spiritual needs of the student body.

Speci cally Simmons was brought in to address the needs of African-American students and who don’t identify with the Catholic faith.

Simmons o ers spiritual support and therapy to students across campus from many di erent backgrounds. He said he especially o ers support to those from out of state, who may have lost their connection with their church home.

As an ordained church elder and pastor, Simmons currently serves as the Associate Pastor of Greater Zion eld Worship Center located in Westwego, Louisiana. He graduated from Tulane University with a master’s degree in psychology and is currently working towards a doctoral degree in Christian counseling and psychotherapy.

With over 25 years in ministry, Simmons said being a Christian counselor allows for a balance of the duties of a social worker, and the presence of God at the center of conversation.

Simmons said he feels in his heart that our Loyola community can bene t from

spiritual counseling and he intends to do so through his upcoming projects which include instituting individual and group therapy/counseling sessions.

He also said he wants every student to walk away with a better understanding of who they are in Christ and not just have them focus on how they are handling school, but how they are at wearing the many hats that members of the student body wear.

Simmons said he is a huge advocate for mental health, especially Black mental health, and is all for breaking apart the stigma that seeking help often comes with. He notes that for students of color, he wishes to be the answer to the question “how can we best help these students in their time here.”

A question that he always asks his students, and implores you to ask yourselves is: how is your heart today?

Pastor Simmons said he wants the entire student body to know that he is there to aid and support them.

He said he is very excited and grateful for the opportunity to be a light to the student body of Loyola University throughout the 2023-24 school year and in the years to come.

He can be found in the Magis Lounge in the basement of the Danna Student Center, and is available in person on Tuesdays and ursdays from 12 pm through 5 pm, and can be reached via email at pastorj@dccwc.org.

Information from Loyola's Chief Operating O cer and Senior Vice President of Finance Carol Markowitz.

Dawn Eden speaking to Catholic Studies on Sept 5, 2023 on her research on Father Louis J Twomey. Twomey worked for social just reform. Anna Hummel/The Maroon

“There’s clearly a great love, intimacy, friendship between these two,”

— Dawn Eden Writer of Twomey's biography

JSRI: Institute works to serve community

Continued from page 3

Cole’s visit had a great impact on Rayburn students, so much so that one student in prison wrote a poem on how meaningful the experience has been for him entitled “Lines for JSRI and a Jesuit-Educated Man, from a Prison Infirmary”.

In addition to the Rayburn Program, the JSRI works with the community and alumni to continue their core purpose of serving the community through education.

The JSRI works with St. Anthony Padua Church, which has the largest Spanish speaking congregation in the area, to provide free English as a Second Language classes, a program called Café con Ingles.

Furthermore, the JSRI has the Twomey Legacy Scholar in Residence, where a retired person is invited back to the program for a year to write and reflect on their legacy.

The current Legacy Scholar in Residence is civil rights activist Ronnie Moore. Moore was expelled from Southern University in 1962 for leading student civil rights programs and sit-ins.

New Wi-Fi system on campus

By Nadir Benslimane nmbenslim@my.loyno.edur

As students returned to campus for another semester, many noticed changes in the Wi-Fi network, which caused some initial confusion.

Chief Information Officer Alan Schomaker said the reason for the Wi-Fi change was due to the previous system being in need of an upgrade and more students using the Wi-Fi.

“Since students have returned to campus after COVID-19, we have seen about a 30% increase in network usage from

what we observed prior to COVID-19,” Schomaker said.

Apart from COVID-19’s effects on the network usage, Schomaker said a study was conducted among students that showed Wi-Fi was high on the list of students' needs.

“Rather than upgrade the existing system, with the approval of Loyola leadership, we were able to replace the Wi-Fi across the campus,” Schomaker said.

As the new network was rolled in, Schomaker said the new installation of 1,500 access points across campus increased the coverage in both the res-

idential halls and academic buildings, which should eliminate the “dead zones” that many students were irritated by in the previous system.

He said students should expect better coverage and signal strength, which is evident in the drop in issues reported to the information technology help desk compared to last fall.

Replacing the old system was more cost-effective in the long term and addressed the needs of the students, Schomaker said.

“With the start of the semester, we now have the Wi-Fi network under a full

load across campus; we are monitoring and tuning the system as needed,” he said. “Based on the first couple of weeks, overall, the system appears to be performing well. With that being said, like any new system, there may be some issues here and there.”

Schomaker asks students to report any issues to the IT help desk so they can be addressed as soon as possible and to better serve the students at Loyola.

“Serving our students and creating a good environment is a priority,” Schomaker said.

“He's an amazing guy and we're learning from him this year.” Phoenix said.

Father Twomey, whom the award was named after, was a Jesuit priest at Loyola who pushed for racial integration on campus throughout the 1950s.

“[He was] very ahead of his time. We actually have a biographer right now writing about Father Twomey, and they've uncovered 10 years of correspondence between him and Martin Luther King Jr,” Phoenix said.

For the upcoming year, the JSRI is working towards incorporating students who are passionate towards issues related to race and poverty, and criminal legal system reform. The JSRI is also exploring more programs to further support these issues.

“It's really important to us that we are leading in that effort to do justice in the world,” Phoenix said.

THE WORKS

creative works you want featured?

Students sit in the Danna Center on their laptops. A new Wi-Fi system has been implemented on campus to better fit student needs. Sunny Bedford/The Maroon

Louisiana state elections draw near

By Guélan Zaour gkzaour@my.loyno.edu

Election day is less than two months away in Louisiana. On October 14, the Pelican State will vote in a myriad of elections that will decide the state's political identity for the next 4 years. ese elections include the two chambers of the legislatures and the governorship.

Louisiana’s current governor is Democrat John Bel Edwards, who ran on a pro-life platform to appeal to Republican voters. Edwards has served two terms since his rst election.

Secretary of Transportation and Development Shawn Wilson, the main Democratic candidate for the 2023 gubernatorial election, has not made abortion a central issue in his campaign, declaring it a private decision.

However, the government is likely to ip into Republican hands in 2023. Attorney General Je Landry leads the polls by an almost 10-20% margin against his closest opponent, Democrat Shawn Wilson.

Fundraising is another lead that Landry holds over his opponents. e Landry campaign has fundraised over $8 million, according to his campaign site. Republican treasurer John Schroder is the closest with $2.2 million in July, according to New Orleans City Business.

e 2023 Louisiana elections are an opportunity to learn more about Louisiana politics. It is notably an occasion to get more familiar with the newly drawn legislative districts. Following the 2020 census, Louisiana redrew its congressional and legislative districts in order to account for population changes across the state. For students living in or around the campus, it could be interesting to get to know their new districts' lines and political identity. Let's start with the basics.

e Senate has 39 districts and the House 105, with the average Senate district population being 119,000 while the average House district's population is 44,000, according to the census.

ese di erences in population size make the Senate and House districts' boundaries very di erent from each oth-

er, resulting in a di erence of representation in the House and the Senate for the same place. It is the case of students registered to vote on campus. Loyola University is located in Senate district

9, which encompasses Metairie and a signi cant part of Uptown New Orleans.

Donald Trump carried the district by double-digits in the 2020 presidential election. When it comes to the House,

however, the smaller size of the district's required population stopped Uptown New Orleans from being merged into a redder area.

House district 98 is a deep blue

district that Joe Biden carried by double-digits in 2020. Voters of the 98th district will only have one choice, though, as incumbent Rep. Aimee Adatto Freeman is running unopposed.

Judge orders Louisiana to remove youths from Angola's maximum-security adult prison

By Sara Cline and Kevin McGill Associated Press

A federal judge on Friday ordered that incarcerated youths be removed from a temporary lockup at a former death row building in Louisiana's adult maximum-security prison by Sept. 15 after critics argued the youths are kept in unsafe conditions and don't receive adequate schooling or mental health services.

Juvenile detainees and their advocates allege that youths have been held in harmful conditions at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, su ering through dangerous heat waves, extended con nement to their cells, foul water and inadequate schooling.

Proponents have argued that the space is needed to house "high-risk" aggressive youths, many of whom have been involved in violent incidents at other detention facilities, and that locking them up at the adult prison keeps the community safe.

Attorneys said U.S. District Judge Shelly Dick, who ruled from the bench in a Friday morning hearing, found that conditions at Angola were unconstitutional and that state o cials had broken promises to provide young

detainees with education and mental health treatment.

Since August, Dick has heard testimony — from facility sta , teachers, the head of Louisiana's O ce of Juvenile Justice and the creator of the incarceration program — about day-today life at Angola. Attorneys working with the American Civil Liberties Union, representing incarcerated youths who led a lawsuit against the state, painted a picture of unacceptable conditions in the lockup.

Juvenile inmates were rst transferred to Angola -- one of the largest maximum-security prisons in the country, which has been dubbed by some as the "Alcatraz of the South" — in October, following concerns about a lack of capacity, safety and service plaguing youth detention centers.

Problems at the youth detention centers reached a boiling point in summer 2022 after a riot and multiple escapes, including one that allegedly ended with a violent carjacking, at facility in suburban New Orleans. Residents in the surrounding area said they were living in fear and called for change.

Youths at Angola are held in single cells in a building separate from the adult prison population. For multiple weeks,

half of their school day was conducted from inside the cells. As of late August, 15 youths were housed in the facility, but as many as 70 or 80 have passed through, according to attorneys working with the ACLU.

Inside the small cells are a bed, toilet, faucet and two shelves. Outside is a TV, which they can watch during recreation time. Youths eat breakfast and some dinners in their cells.

Louisiana o cials said the plan to

transfer some youths to Angola was intended to reduce the youth detainee population at other troubled facilities until new, more secure ones can be built or renovated. e transfers were supposed be a short-term x, with a goal of moving youths from Angola to a new secure facility in Monroe by spring 2023. However, the timeline has been pushed back to November.

In a July court ling, youth advocates argued that the state failed to provide

constitutionally acceptable conditions at the facility in southeast Louisiana. e document noted youths — mostly Black males, according to the lawsuit — were held in a building that was not air conditioned. It cited weather data indicating outside heat-index values at the prison regularly surpassed 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) and sometimes 130 degrees F (54 degrees C).

Vehicles enter at the main security gate at the Louisiana State Penitentiary — the Angola Prison, the largest high-security prison in the country in Angola, La., Aug. 5, 2008. A federal judge ruled on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023 that incarcerated youths be removed from a temporary lockup, at a former death row building in Louisiana’s adult maximum-security prison.(AP Photo/Judi Bottoni, File)

2020 Presidential Election Map of District 9. Courtesy of Dave's Redistricting Application.

2022 Congressional House Map of District 98. Courtesy of Dave's Redistricting Application.

STAFF

Assistant Editors: Chris Maldonado, Sunny Bedford, Grace Knight, Eloise Pickering, Taylor Falgout, Sophia Maxim!

Comics Editors: Sofia Johnson, Grace Knight, Taylor Falgout!

Associate Producer for Maroon Minute: Chloe Caudle, Sunny Bedford, Matthew Richards, Francisco Esteves, James Hufnagel, Christopher Nesbit, Leonard Jackson III, Mabel RegaladoHernanzed!

Staff Writers and Photographers: Guelan Zaour, Pharell Every, Nadir Benslimane, Laci Barrow, Rodrigo Delgado, Ashlyn Bobb Collins! Adviser: Michael Giusti

Gateway to Adventure Jacob L'Hommedieu, political science senior

Little Lizard Anonymous

Nature shouldn't have to su er for our convenience

CHRIS MALDONADO Environmental science sophomore cwmaldon@my.loyno.edu

It seems like with each day there's a new story about a looming environmental crisis being discussed. On our TVs, sharply dressed anchors tell us about the newest possibility of extinction and the harm facing the environment.

While these are certainly frightening topics, these are the pressing issues that need to be acknowledged and responded to with the fullest level of solemnity and immediacy.

Unfortunately, the stirring reporting of these problems seem to be ignored or balked at by the average person perhaps due to the naive idea that such gross de lement and corruption of nature is reserved only for the distant future. is is the moment where such naive people need the most drastic of reality checks to see that the conveniences they use with utter abandon are the fruits of industrialization and that this reckless usage is exacerbating the disgusting degradation of nature and this degradation can be seen, heard, and felt throughout all of New Orleans.

I'm sure that everyone has been noticing the torturous heat that we have been having to bear all summer, just

the other day it was a high of 102°, a direct result of carbon emissions and other greenhouse gasses facilitating the Earth's rapidly growing temperature and prevalence of extreme weather.

Pollution is almost a mainstay throughout New Orleans with litter being found embedded in every crevice both natural and man-made in the city. Items of convenience like cars, snacks, bottled drinks, smokes, and even the notebooks we use all contribute to excessive waste and harmful behavior that act as a detriment to the beautiful and bountiful havens of nature that can be found throughout our city.

A most poignant memory of my own is when I was going with a relative to Dat Dog o of Freret Street. It was a regular day full of sun and blessed with a lovely breeze, utter tranquility. Out of nowhere, I heard this irritating noise reminiscent of a car alarm. I looked around and could nd no immediate source of this terrible disturbance. It was only when I noticed a mockingbird uttering around that I came to a horrifying realization. e natural sounds produced by this lovely and complex little creature had been completely overridden by the virulent sound of automotives.

Like a virus unique to our place in time, that which normally made the natural sounds of this animal utterly tranquil was now infected by our convenience of transportation. A corrupted e gy of our natural world, a constant reminder of how our actions and our technologized world are immediately

contributing to the spoiling of that which should remain unspoiled.

Engage in a gardening or farming coop, take up composting, reduce the time you spend in the shower, reduce your average screen time spent on your digital devices, reduce your consumption of beef, bike or walk when presented with the opportunity, help pick up litter, or volunteer at one of the many reserves and parks found throughout our city and state. What is important is that direct action is taken with the greatest sense of urgency.

Nature has been giving its all to us our entire lives and the least we can do is try to give back and ght for it in any way we can. is is why it is of such dire importance that we come to grips with how urgent these issues are and make the necessary changes to each help the environment in our own way so that by way of collective change we can turn the tide and ensure that our beautiful natural world, our own piece of Eden is provided for, respected, protected, and allowed to remain prosperous so that all can bask in its natural splendor and not have to fear the gross corruption that our industrialized society of convenience desperately tries violate it with.

"“...You can't see anything from a car; you've got to get out of the goddamned contraption and walk, better yet crawl, on hands and knees, over the sandstone and through the thornbush and cactus...”

- Edward Abbey

Elon Musk, Twitter, X, and the rise of hate speech

JOSHUA FLETCHER Psychology freshman, jg etch@my.loyno.edu

Twitter’s rebranding to X is not just a poor visual update to the platform. It represents the app’s new identity as a safe haven for hateful content.

Twitter always had a unique identity as a place for short and (sometimes) sweet posts. People used the site for mostly news and memes. ough, the platform was never perfect. Many criticized it for a variety of reasons like the questionable moderation, the lack of transparency of the veri cation system, and many more.

One criticism that stood above the rest were the bans of many high pro le gures. e most notable of these bans was the suspension of former president Donald Trump. is was for his role in inciting the insurrection on Jan. 6. Many

questioned the precedent set by banning a U.S. president. is and other bans (Andrew Tate, Jordan Peterson, etc.) led to a narrative that Twitter is biased against the right wing despite evidence of the contrary. is narrative festered until Elon Musk made illusions to buy the platform with the promise of “free speech”. Musk eventually bought the platform which would change it for the worse.

After Elon Musk bought Twitter, hate speech sharply increased almost immediately. is comes from many sources including the Anti-Defamation League. is can be attributed to Musk’s position as a “free speech absolutist”.

Besides the fact that absolutism implies that the site would have no moderation (which it still does) this gives Musk the ability to excuse hate speech on the platform under the guise of “free speech”.

Musk will constantly deny the rampant increase of hateful content to the

extent that he recently threatened a lawsuit against the ADL for defamation.

I have to disagree with Musk’s claim as I’ve constantly witnessed anti-Black and anti-LGBTQIA+ content being recommended to me. It will typically be a video of Black people commiting a crime or doing something heinous. ese videos usually come with a caption like “Why are they like this?” or “why is this allowed?” ese posts don’t directly reveal their anti-Black sentiment but instead, let racist commenters connect the dots.

Anti-LGBTQIA+ content is much more blatant. e narrative of queer people being groomers and child abusers is very prevalent on the platform. is is particularly dire for transgender people as their rights are being stripped away with this exact rhetoric.

ese changes are certainly not an accident. In a recent article with Musk, he revealed to the public that a major reason he bought Twitter was because

Opinions/Letters to the editor

The Maroon actively promotes the inclusion of a wide range of perspectives and opinions within our letters section.

Opinions should preferably be around 500 words

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he believed his trans daughter was infected by a “woke mind virus” claiming she’d gone “full communist.” is is very telling as the platform seemingly has an insistence on promoting far-right con-

tent.

Now we know that Musk’s acquisition and changing of Twitter to X is deeply political and propagandistic.

Quote of the week

"Of the gigantic social problems which demand solutions in the world today, there is none more critical than that existing in the lower reaches of society.”

Father Louis J. Twomey in The Catholic World, December 1938

Kloe Witt/ The Maroon

Athena Marks/The Maroon

"After Elon Musk bought Twitter, hate speech sharply increased almost immediatly..."

11 Sept. 15, 2023 THE MAROON

Oil re neries

Put people before profi t: Cancer Alley kills

these people who have been putting pro t over people for decades. We need real leaders who understand the true gravity of the situation that we’re in.

greed, and match their unstoppable desire for pro t with an unbreakable will.

ese companies, and the people who run them, have been robbing us of our environment and our wilderness by continually destroying our ecosystem for these resources. And, they’ve also been robbing us of our lives and of our health.

e more aware we become now of these issues, and the more action we take as individuals and as a community to push for our leaders to rise to the occasion. And this is critical. Now is the time to act. To take action in pushing for our leaders. Now is the time to be an advocate for justice of all kinds, especially environmental justice. As a Jesuit school and community, we need to seek justice in everything that we do. Little actions as well as big actions need to be taken in order to make real change in this moment. We stand at a critical point between a past of negligence and a future of disaster, and it is up to us to decide that future.

ey may have poisoned our bodies, but we will not let them take our futures. With the scourge of deregulation and further corporatization of our economy and our governments, it is clear why cancer rates are on the rise in many parts of the state. As our politicians line their pockets with blood money born from oil, the poor Louisianans su er the worst. But this is not just a problem for the residents who live in Cancer Alley, it’s a problem for all of Louisiana. Louisiana has always been home to companies in the oil and chemical industries that have shown a callous disregard for humanity and a criminal negligence towards the people. Cancer rates are rising all over New Orleans, not just in areas that feature these industrial monstrosities, and toxic fumes continue to ood our streets. Politicians have lined their pockets at our expense in order to climb the ladder. Louisiana stands as one of the poorest states, and one with one of the highest rates of corruption. As a community, we need to begin to demand that we end the constant deregulation that continues to be a scourge on our politics, and continues to allow these companies to harm us unchecked. As the state that is one of the most threatened by climate change currently, we need to demand that we make a quicker transition to sustainable energy sources, and energy sources that don’t harm our health or our environment. We have had the technology for decades. And we’ve known about the threat to our environment and our world that the fossil fuel industry has caused for decades. We need our leaders to take real action against

EDITORIAL POLICY

Cancer Alley.

ese two words are used for the 85 mile stretch of land between Baton Rouge and New Orleans where oil re neries, chemical plants, and other industrial centers line the Mississippi River.

e pollution created causes massive health issues to the people who live there, most of which are lower income and minority communities. Over exposure to the oils and chemicals produced by these plants can cause life-long and life threatening illnesses, including respiratory problems and comas in adults.

It can cause birth defects to fetuses in utero and infant death or miscarriages. Permanent burns can easily form on bodies of individuals exposed to oils or chemicals. And, of course, the biggest problem we are seeing that is a ecting these communities the most: cancer. In the decades since the term entered into use, the area described has stretched further down the river, now being used to describe places in Je erson, Orleans, and St. Bernard parishes. Residents of New Orleans have noticed substantial detriments to their health and to their environment.

cally in the Irish Channel, and other Uptown neighborhoods, people have been pushing for city council and their representatives to ght against the expanding industrial centers on the West Bank which pushes fumes and pollutants into the air across the river.

Speci

ese companies have committed chemical warfare against the citizens of this state for the endless, mad quest to increase their “bottom line”. If there is going to be any change, we need to come together in one voice and say, ‘no more.’ We must rage against these abominations of

HOWLS & GROWLS

on this page represents the majority opinions of The Maroon’s editorial board and does not necessarily re ect the opinions of Loyola University. Letters and columns re ect the opinions of the authors and not necessarily those of The Maroon’s editorial board. The Maroon does not represent the opinion of administration, sta and/or faculty members of Loyola. Letters are subject to editing for length, grammar and style. Please limit submissions to 400 words.

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